About
This site was initially launched in 2013 to support the the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan (SMP) for the state. The original website address was RISMP.org, by the Spring of 2017 it was used to help to facilitate the RI Shellfish Initiative. Now the site lives on here at ShellfishRI.com with a purpose of honoring the economic and cultural value of RI’s shellfish.
The URI Coastal Resources Center and RI Sea Grant, in collaboration with multiple partners, facilitated the creation of the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan (SMP) for the state. This document provides comprehensive policy guidance regarding management and protection measures for shellfish, such as quahogs and oysters, located in state marine waters. The effort involved multiple state agencies, including the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), which manages aquaculture leasing, and the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM), which manages shellfish in state waters. It also engaged stakeholders in identifying policies and practices to restore shellfish resources and enhance the economic vitality of the shellfishing industry. Beginning in January 2013, project leaders worked with the wild harvest, aquaculture, and restoration communities to define priority areas and begin tackling some of these issues and a final draft was presented in November 2014.
In the years following the SMP, URI Coastal Resources Center and RI Sea Grant have been assisting the state in implementing recommendations described in the plan. We have also continued the partnerships forged during the SMP to bolster aquaculture education for prospective growers, helping enhance a long-standing course that was offered by Dale Leavitt at RWU. We have also provided public education opportunities, from public lectures, webinars, and aquaculture farm tours. Recognizing many of the tasks described in the SMP need continued momentum and participation from various groups, URI Coastal Resources Center and RI Sea Grant have helped to facilitate the RI Shellfish Initiative, an award-winning publication on shellfish heritage, and a “Lessons Learned” video production for other states to follow.